wouldn't advise me to try the Waterloo bar, or marry a laborer, or even
go into the factory?

MRS WARREN [indignantly] Of course not. What sort of mother do you take
me for! How could you keep your self-respect in such starvation
and slavery? And whats a woman worth? whats life worth? without
self-respect! Why am I independent and able to give my daughter
a first-rate education, when other women that had just as good
opportunities are in the gutter? Because I always knew how to respect
myself and control myself. Why is Liz looked up to in a cathedral town?
The same reason. Where would we be now if we'd minded the clergyman's
foolishness? Scrubbing floors for one and sixpence a day and nothing to
look forward to but the workhouse infirmary. Don't you be led astray by
people who don't know the world, my girl. The only way for a woman to
provide for herself decently is for her to be good to some man that can
afford to be good to her. If she's in his own station of life, let her
make him marry her; but if she's far beneath him she can't expect it: why
should she? it wouldn't be for her own happiness. Ask any lady in London
society that has daughters; and she'll tell you the same, except that I
tell you straight and she'll tell you crooked. Thats all the difference.

VIVIE [fascinated, gazing at her] My dear mother: you are a wonderful
woman: you are stronger than all England. And are you really and truly
not one wee bit doubtful--or--or--ashamed?

MRS WARREN. Well, of course, dearie, it's only good manners to be
ashamed of it: it's expected from a woman. Women have to pretend to
feel a great deal that they don't feel. Liz used to be angry with me for
plumping out the truth about it. She used to say that when every woman
could learn enough from what was going on in the world before her eyes,
there was no need to talk about it to her. But then Liz was such a
perfect lady! She had the true instinct of it; while I was always a bit
of a vulgarian. I used to be so pleased when you sent me your photos
to see that you were growing up like Liz: you've just her ladylike,
determined way. But I can't stand saying one thing when everyone knows
I mean another. Whats the use in such hypocrisy? If people arrange the
world that way for women, theres no good pretending it's arranged the
other way. No: I never was a bit ashamed really. I consider I had a
right to be proud of how we managed everything so respectably, and never
had a word a